Digital Marketing vs Social Media Marketing

It is true that ‘marketing’ comes in various forms, but the following article will explore the relationship between digital marketing and social media marketing and the importance of having such strategies in place.

The growing number of people who now use the internet means that the way products and services are consumed is hugely different to how they were even five years ago. One reason for this is because as a large proportion of society adapts to our ever-more digital environment so do our interests, attitudes and beliefs:

We have become so immune to excessive consumption that if brands, products or services do not exceed our expectations we disassociate ourselves from them. This is because consumers nowadays need continual reassurance and rely on today’s internet of things to satisfy their needs. To succeed in today’s saturated internet of things, commodities need a point of access for individuals, and digital marketing and more specifically social media marketing both offer brands such entry points.

Digital Marketing Vs Social Media Marketing – What’s the Difference?

What is Digital Marketing?

Digital marketing is often referred to as being an ‘umbrella term.’ This is because it encompasses all engagement tools that operate via the internet. These Digital tools include, for example, web design and development email marketing, SEO,PPC, Google Analytics, social media, mobile marketing, blogging as well as online banner advertising and of course, social media marketing.

In comparison to more traditional marketing techniques, digital marketing strategies have allowed us to analyse audience(s) more efficiently. Digital technologies indicate the strengths and weaknesses within a business which are usually used to refine and correct a Marketing strategy to overcome competitor efforts.

All these digital marketing activities work together and champion a businesses website as the hub of all Marketing materials. digital marketing, as a process, aims to lead people onto a website, from where they will be guided to make a conversion. This conversion can come in many forms; clicking a download, getting in contact, buying a product and signing up to a newsletter are all similar examples.

Whereas, social media marketing, albeit a form of digital marketing, is a more specific term. It refers to the strategic promotional campaigns that take place on Social Media platforms.

The Benefits of Digital Marketing

1. It covers a broader spectrum of platforms that can increase user activity

The profitability ratio is calculated by the return of the investment spent on any marketing activity. Digital marketing enables you to evaluate performance, set objectives, refine strategies and report with accuracy. Engagement and conversions can be reported and discussed in various ways, for example, forecasting reports, progress reports, earned values reports and so on.

3. Industry becomes competitive

To better competitors, you can uncover popular keywords and phrases they might be using. You could read up on their content, blog posts and newsletters. You could even monitor their social media activity and look at the ways people react or respond to their content.

4. Reduced costs

Digital marketing is cost effective and can be spent however you feel is necessary for the organisation. Price will vary but budgets can always be split into different areas to achieve different results.

5. Better exposure for brand development

More Marketing activity equals greater exposure! Using digital to your advantage can open many doorways and opportunities for future Marketing.

6. Increased chances of circulating and reaching more

The internet essentially unites individuals through popular channels regardless of what age, demographic, religion or ethnicity they may be. The internet has made file sharing much easier for individuals to share content quickly and securely.

7. Get information out quickly

Posts are almost immediate, there is no need to plan all Marketing ahead like the old days because information today can be received anywhere you go from any smart device.

8. See real time results

Sharing content is instant therefore you can view responses and reactions to campaigns as you send them.

What is Social Media Marketing?

Social media is great for building long-term relationships with existing customers as well as potential ones. It needs to be remembered that in the same way that everyone, in reality, is different, every active social media user is as well. For instance, each user will have their favourite channel that they prefer using. This needs to be bared in mind when creating a strategy.

Social media is extremely useful for marketers and can prove to be a very cost effective resource when used in line with pre-existing marketing activities. Social media enables organisations to interact with individuals better, both personally and professionally to really drive a connection and that ever coveted brand loyalty.

Social media marketing can really have an impact on your overall activity especially if you’re trying to push a certain product or service. Social media differs from the wider world of digital marketing because of its sheer precision; each and every post can be customised and tailored to ensure the messaging speak directly to its intended audience(s).

In the same way, if social media is mismanaged it can prove to be a very quick way of wasting money. What is needed is to take digital marketing and social media marketing in conjunction together as part of an overriding digital marketing strategy.

The Benefits of Social Media Marketing

1. Increased inbound traffic

When social media is done right campaigns can go viral. Surveys, personalising content, offering competitions or discounted prices is a way of gaining inbound traffic. Incentives are appealing and are hard to ignore.

2. Lower budgets

When a brand has become established on social media, budgets will more than likely decrease as the traffic driven to your site will happen naturally.

3. Better search engine rankings

Many marketers integrate social media into their marketing strategy to climb the search ranking ladder. Creating original content will boost SEO impressions and allows the audience to understand you as a brand better.

According to Twitter, many individuals have recently been searching on Social networking sites over Google and Bing. Organisations already know the impact a good social account can have and must use this information to their advantage by broadening SEO efforts and how people may search in the future.

4. Better customer interaction

Social media marketing is great for developing new relationships but is also great because it allows you to reward existing customers. Speaking to an audience on a personal level is much more appealing than trying to interact in a corporate manner.

5. Improved consumer and industry insights

Taking an interest in other related industries not only gives your more recognition, keeps you up to date but also makes you appear Social which is what people want to see, they do not want to see a brand that is self-centered to what they offer.

6. Increasing brand awareness and brand loyalty

If you are consistent with your social activity your chances of increasing brand loyalty will be in your favour. Individuals put their trust into brands and expect something back, for example, competitions, giveaways or discounts are a must have.

7. Monitor competitor Marketing efforts

On social media, you are able to follow, share or like your competitor posts so you can see what they are up to or how well people are responding to them. It offers you an unprecedented insight to the industry arena you are in and lets you see your intended audience on an individual level.

8. Share messages much quicker and efficiently

Messages can be shared instantly and impressions can circulate further for longer periods of time.

9. Easier engagement without being too intrusive

You can connect with an audience publicly or personally. Interacting with consumers shows them that you care enough to make conversation with them.

10. Easily reportable

Digital and social media marketing is very easy to achieve results. The software has been designed to monitor the performance of social activity in analytic software such as Buffer, Talkwalker, Hootsuite and much more.

How Digital Marketing and Social Media Marketing Work Together

Body language is predominantly the most important form of communication. Every individual responds differently to unfamiliar circumstances. Therefore, it is the way in which we reflect and interpret these responses as a way of communicating and understanding each other’s feelings.

Just like human behaviour, digital marketing needs to consider how each user of the internet interprets these messages through the tone of voice the brand puts forward.

Digital marketing, when executed correctly, comes naturally, but that does not necessarily mean it comes easy. On screen, behaviour is much harder to analyse in comparison to analysing face to face body postures or behaviours.

People understand brands better when they offer a better presentation of themselves, this, for example, could be showcased through easy navigation of websites, colour schemes, images, videos, fonts, promotions. and consistent interaction.

It does not matter whether you are a small, medium or large enterprise for either B2B or B2C purposes because digital and social media marketing caters for all. Evoking long lasting relationships happens when there is a continuous social input.

Digital Marketing and Social Media Marketing – Better Together

Digital and social marketing work together best when brands redirect their focus on creating emotional attachment.

Differentiating yourself from competitors is much harder to do today and so understanding the needs of your consumer is vital. When you provide your audience with something emotional they can engage with they are more likely to give in to temptation when given a reason to do so. In theory, you are trying to tap into their subconscious and influence consumption by offering them a personal and Social experience that will benefit them.

As culture and technology move forward so must digital and social media marketing. Online reputations have never been so important to maintain and brands now face the challenge of seeking innovative opportunities that add value to the consumer’s life.

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